Time for some rank speculation based on +++ reporting and the #AMI agreement that says they provided substantial assistance to SDNY. Because #Trump, #Cohen and the #NationalEnquirer are just the tip of a likely blackmail for political power story. The breadth of which may end up shocking the entire political system if it ever comes out in full. It may even explain seemingly inexplicable events. But the biggest victims are likely a large number of the #Republican establishment and various Conservative actors.
Start with the DOJ filing, where they spell out that Cohen and AMI both acted in concert with the Trump Campaign to collect and suppress information that would be detrimental to Trump's election.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/michael-cohen-sentenced-3-years-prison
The filing goes on to say that AMI provided "substantial assistance" to the SDNY. This could be basic language meant to support SDNY not charging AMI and the National Enquirer with any crimes. This could be a potential problem with First Amendment v actual crimes though these crimes might be better classified as extortion.
According to this report in August 2018, David Pecker had a safe full of information. Ostensibly about Trump that Pecker removed when the story about Trump's affair with McDougal came out in the WSJ. According to that report, Pecker had been gaining information about various "celebrities" that they used for leverage.
Among those were Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
https://t.co/Aq9n2Knt8s
One of the "victims" included John Edwards. The National Enquirer was the first to print a report about his alleged affair that led to his campaign finance charges and ended his political career.
https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-national-enquirer-got-the-john-edwards-scandal-scoop-2010-3
As for Cohen and AMI, there relationship was likely deeper than simple transactions over Trump's affairs. Per the LA Times report, Cohen worked with the National Enquirer to set up a Trump campaign website in 2010 and the Enquirer directed traffic there. It also notes that Trump had formed a "partnership" with Pecker. Trump was uniquely positioned to gather gossip about celebrities, politicians and many other powerful people.
Cohen wasn't just a fixer for Trump and his affairs. Cohen is reported to have been the fixer for Elliot Broidy, helping to pay off his mistress. Cohen was given the powerful RNC co-finance chair, but was forced to resign shortly after Broidy's affair came out.
https://t.co/zvFcJQYw5S
Yuri Vanetik, who helped get rid of Trump's Beverly Hills love nest and is best known for being Rohrbacher's favorite Putin conduit and donor, was made NYGOP finance co-chair.
https://www.revealnews.org/article/a-small-time-scam-artist-gave-trump-a-beverly-hills-mansion-for-0-why/amp/
In May, it was also reported that Cohen was involved in arranging the endorsement of Jerry Falwell Jr for Trump securing Evangelical Christian Support. It was noted at the same time buzzfeed reported the lawsuit involving Falwell and his relationship with a Pool Boy.
https://t.co/QZ0wVhlB4v
Also in May, after Cohen's office was raided, Trump tried to claim attorney client privilege over some communications. Cohen stated that he had only had 3 clients in the previous year those included Trump, Elliot Broidy and Sean Hannity. Sean claimed that he was talking to Cohen about a realestate deal (see Trump realestate deal in Beverly Hills and Jerry Falwell investment in realestate to finance the Pool Boy's Hostel).
https://t.co/wpPBjzrsVk
Of course, blackmail doesn't work unless the person doing it has the ability to use it effectively. What is more effective than a tabloid that will print anything?
This all puts other events in a new light. According to records, Republican ex Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie directed over $500mil of NJ Employee Pension Benefits to be invested through Chatham Asset Mngmt: a high risk hedge fund vehicle that currently owns controlling shares of the National Enquirer parent company AMI. The report also notes that the Republican governor of Ohio also directed $225mil in employee pensions to be invested with Chatham and another $100mil came from some California employee fund.
https://t.co/8LcRGGMjuv
Considering the number of Republicans that had to roll over to accept Trump and his crazy, it seems likely that they were trying to buy the Enquirer's vault of info. With public funds. It's one of just many stories that are weirdly not nearly as shocking as the hundred others that came before it.
We're being held hostage to all of the political establishment's picadillos, crappy decision making and criminal behavior.
Start with the DOJ filing, where they spell out that Cohen and AMI both acted in concert with the Trump Campaign to collect and suppress information that would be detrimental to Trump's election.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/michael-cohen-sentenced-3-years-prison
The filing goes on to say that AMI provided "substantial assistance" to the SDNY. This could be basic language meant to support SDNY not charging AMI and the National Enquirer with any crimes. This could be a potential problem with First Amendment v actual crimes though these crimes might be better classified as extortion.
According to this report in August 2018, David Pecker had a safe full of information. Ostensibly about Trump that Pecker removed when the story about Trump's affair with McDougal came out in the WSJ. According to that report, Pecker had been gaining information about various "celebrities" that they used for leverage.
Among those were Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
https://t.co/Aq9n2Knt8s
One of the "victims" included John Edwards. The National Enquirer was the first to print a report about his alleged affair that led to his campaign finance charges and ended his political career.
https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-national-enquirer-got-the-john-edwards-scandal-scoop-2010-3
As for Cohen and AMI, there relationship was likely deeper than simple transactions over Trump's affairs. Per the LA Times report, Cohen worked with the National Enquirer to set up a Trump campaign website in 2010 and the Enquirer directed traffic there. It also notes that Trump had formed a "partnership" with Pecker. Trump was uniquely positioned to gather gossip about celebrities, politicians and many other powerful people.
Cohen wasn't just a fixer for Trump and his affairs. Cohen is reported to have been the fixer for Elliot Broidy, helping to pay off his mistress. Cohen was given the powerful RNC co-finance chair, but was forced to resign shortly after Broidy's affair came out.
https://t.co/zvFcJQYw5S
Yuri Vanetik, who helped get rid of Trump's Beverly Hills love nest and is best known for being Rohrbacher's favorite Putin conduit and donor, was made NYGOP finance co-chair.
https://www.revealnews.org/article/a-small-time-scam-artist-gave-trump-a-beverly-hills-mansion-for-0-why/amp/
In May, it was also reported that Cohen was involved in arranging the endorsement of Jerry Falwell Jr for Trump securing Evangelical Christian Support. It was noted at the same time buzzfeed reported the lawsuit involving Falwell and his relationship with a Pool Boy.
https://t.co/QZ0wVhlB4v
Also in May, after Cohen's office was raided, Trump tried to claim attorney client privilege over some communications. Cohen stated that he had only had 3 clients in the previous year those included Trump, Elliot Broidy and Sean Hannity. Sean claimed that he was talking to Cohen about a realestate deal (see Trump realestate deal in Beverly Hills and Jerry Falwell investment in realestate to finance the Pool Boy's Hostel).
https://t.co/wpPBjzrsVk
Of course, blackmail doesn't work unless the person doing it has the ability to use it effectively. What is more effective than a tabloid that will print anything?
This all puts other events in a new light. According to records, Republican ex Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie directed over $500mil of NJ Employee Pension Benefits to be invested through Chatham Asset Mngmt: a high risk hedge fund vehicle that currently owns controlling shares of the National Enquirer parent company AMI. The report also notes that the Republican governor of Ohio also directed $225mil in employee pensions to be invested with Chatham and another $100mil came from some California employee fund.
https://t.co/8LcRGGMjuv
Considering the number of Republicans that had to roll over to accept Trump and his crazy, it seems likely that they were trying to buy the Enquirer's vault of info. With public funds. It's one of just many stories that are weirdly not nearly as shocking as the hundred others that came before it.
We're being held hostage to all of the political establishment's picadillos, crappy decision making and criminal behavior.
